Be careful out there

Thursday

Jan 31, 2013 at 3:15 AM

Here at the office, we got a call this week from a Shapleigh resident who often drives through Sanford with her husband. She said she was becoming increasingly concerned that pedestrians on Main Street — and elsewhere, for that matter — are not dressing for safety when they take their nighttime stroll or jog.

More than once, she said, she and her husband have passed someone in the street, only to notice them — thank God — at the last moment “because when they’re dressed in black, they blend in with the darkness.”

“People should wear a white scarf, or something,” the caller said. That, or one of those fluorescent orange vests.

Once in a while, we’ll get these calls from readers and residents who notice an everyday hazard and want people to take extra care. More than once, for example, we’ve heard motorists say that the crosswalk in front of the city hall on Main Street is a tricky one that needs more measures to ensure pedestrians’ safety.

So, in the spirit of looking out for each other, we thought we’d throw this week’s caller’s plea out there, in the hopes it prompts others to dress in brighter colors when venturing out at night. After all, as the caller said, “if you save one person’s life, it’s worth it.”